Ion generator device having improved negative ion emission



March 31,1970" T.C.WOOTON ETAL 3,504,227

ION GENERATOR DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED NEGATIVE ION EMISSION ,Filed Nov. 17, 1967 IKIIIIII I! III/III I l I I I I1 w 3 v yzy a :W I A J l I A I ..4 .P, 4 k 7 i! I l FIG. 5. 54 30 E oma T N Nw mWM F we A/ ML m WW MAHO/VEY 8: (L/OEA/BAKER Arroeusys U.S. Cl. 315-111 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A negative ion emitter discharges negative ions into an airstream passing therethrough. A direct current flow of negative electricity is fed into the negative ion emitter, but there is no ground connection other than through the airstream. The negative ion emitter has a series of spaced, wire-like projections electrically interconnected, such as a multiplicity of open wire ends of a metal wool mass, or a multiplicity of wire whiskers projecting from each of a series of spaced, parallel wires, or a multiplicity of wire whiskers projecting inwardly from each of a series of ring mounted conductors, in each case providing a multiplicity of negative ion discharge surfaces.

This invention relates to an ion generator device having improved negative ion emission, and more particularly, to an ion generator device of the foregoing character wherein the negative ion emission is increased to astounding values, more than one hundred times greater than similar prior devices. Furthermore, the increase in negative ion emission with the device of the present invention is obtained through relatively simple expedients, the principles of which may be incorporated in presently manufactured ion generator devices at virtually no increase in cost thereof.

Various scientific studies have been conducted and are presently being conducted on the effects of negative and positive ions on human behavioral patterns, as well as' human health. It is known as a scientific fact that the balance of negative and positive ions in the earths atmosphere varies considerably over a period of time dependent on weather conditions, such as barometric pressure, humidity, wind and temperature. For instance, when the atmospheric conditions are of low barometric pressure with hot, dry winds, the air has an excess of positive over negative ions, whereas, with atmospheric conditions of high barometric pressure, such as encountered with the approach of a thunderstorm, the air has an excess of negative over positive ions.

It is not known exactly why the balance of negative and positive ions in the atmosphere effects the functioning of the human body, but it is alleged by scientists conducting studies thereof, the results of which are well scientifically documented, that there is a definite eifect on human body functioning resulting in a definite behavior and health eifect. It has been found that when the atmospheric conditions are such that an excess of positive ions over negative ions is present, the human moods decrease to the lower levels, with consequent increase in irritability and health complaints, and when atmospheric conditions are such that there is an excess of negative over positive ions, the human moods rise and the health complaints decrease.

Most authorities on the subject agree that such change in human behavioral patterns is the result of the effect of negative or positive ions on the human bloodstream. It'is believed that negative ions in the bloodstream accelerate the capacity of the blood to transmit oxygen to United States Patent ice the human cells and tissue, whereas positive ions in the bloodstream have an opposite and adverse effect. Thus, similar to breathing pure oxygen, under atmospheric conditions of high negative ion content, the increase in negative ions in the bloodstream causes an increase of oxygen to the human cells and tissue, improving both the mood and health.

Various prior forms of ion generator devices have been provided for producing negative ions to overcome an atmospheric deficiency thereof in human environments. With these prior devices, an airstream is circulated through the device which contains a negative ion emitter so that the negative ions are produced in the airstream and transported thereby into the atmosphere of building and vehicle enclosures. The maximum emission of negative ions in the airstreams of the prior devices has been in the order of 200,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter.

It has been found, however, that merely under normal changing atmospheric conditions, the excess of positive ions over negative ions can vary from as low as 5,000 positive ions per cubic centimeter to as high as 3,000,000 positive ions per cubic centimeter. With the prior devices, therefore, when the atmospheric conditions are such as to increase the positive ions to the higher levels, it is impossible to overcome this out-of-balance condition through the negative ion production. It is only possible to increase the number of negative ions and slightly improve the environmental conditions as far as humans are concerned.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide an ion generator device having improved negative ion emission wherein the excess of positive ions in a controlled atmosphere may be overcome, despite the positive ion increase normally caused by the most severe and detrimental negative ion weather conditions. Despite the fact that with the prior negative ion generator devices, it has only been possible to produce in the order of 200,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter, according to the principles of the present invention, it is possible to produce more than one hundred times the prior level, in excess of 35 billion negative ions per cubic centimeter. Furthermore, such increase in negative ion production is accomplished through the use of relatively simple expedients, easily possible of incorporation in the prior devices with a minimum of change and expense.

It is a further object of our invention to provide an ion generator device having improved negative ion emission wherein the negative ion emitter thereof is provided with a direct current, negative flow of electricity, but the usual electrical ground connection is eliminated, so that the only ground connection for the negative ion emitter is through the airstream circulating therearound or therethrough. By such elimination of the conventional ground connection and the mere use of the airstream as the ground connection, it has been discovered that the negative ion emission can be increased to virtually astounding values, and far above those encountered in even the Worst atmospheric conditions of positive ion increase. It is likewise unnecessary, despite such increase in negative ion emisison, to in any way increase the supply of electrical energy to the ion generator device of the present invention, but rather, the conventional levels of voltage and ampereage may be used.

It is also an object of our invention to provide an ion generator device having improved negative ion emission wherein the negative ion emitter thereof may be of an improved form for providing a maximum of negative ion emitting surfaces, all electrically interconnected, to thereby even further increase the negative ion emission of the device. According to the present invention, the negative ion emitter is formed with a multiplicity of electrically conducting wire-like projections which are spaced apart and electrically interconnected so as to provide a multiplicity of negative ion discharging surfaces. The negative ion emitting projections of the negative ion emitter may be provided through various constructions, but in each case, it is preferred to provide the emitter such that an airstream may be forced therethrough and around the negative ion emitting projections so as to provide a maximum of negative ion discharge therefrom and transfer into the airstream.

Other. objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing which is for the purpose of illustration only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a preferred form of the ion generator device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken along the broken line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and showing one form of negative ion emitter mounted in the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing another form of negative ion emitter mounted in the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another view similar to FIG. 2 and showing still another form of negative ion emitter mounted in the device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a representative wiring diagram of the negative ion emitter portion of the device of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST EMBODIMENT CONTEMPLATED Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the ion generator device of the present invention includes a box-like, hollow case generally indicated at formed of an electrically insulating material, such as wood or plastic, and having an end air inlet opening 12 spaced from a side air outlet opening 14 so as to form an air passage 16 through the interior of the case 10. A blower in the form of a conventional electrically driven fan 18 is mounted within the case air passage 16 at the air inlet opening 12 for drawing air from outside the case 10 and forcing said air through the air passage 16.

An angled bafile 20 similarly formed of an electrical insulating material, such as wood or plastic, is mounted within the case 10 adjacent the air outlet opening 14 for deflecting air forced through the air passage 16 by the fan 18 outwardly through the air outlet opening 14, and also sectioning off the interior of the case 10 to form an electrical component chamber 22.

A negative ion emitter 24, preferably constructed according to the principles of the present invention, as will be hereinafter discussed, is mounted across the air passage 16 within the case 10 inwardly adjacent the air outlet opening 14 and the case baffie 20. A usual high voltage transformer 26 is mounted within the case chamber 22, with a primary side 28 thereof connected to a usual source of alternating current electricity, not shown, and one lead 30 of a secondary side 32 thereof connected through a usual diode 34 to the negative ion emitter 24 so as to supply a high voltage fiow of negative, direct current electricity to said emitter. It will be particularly noted, according to the principles of the present invention, as illustrated in the circuit diagram of FIG. 5, that lead 36, the other lead of the transformer secondary side 32, is conventionally grounded remote from the negative ion emitter 24, and said emitter is not grounded except through the atmosphere, that is, the air flowing through the air passage 16 of the case 10.

Thus, air is drawn from the surrounding atmosphere by the fan 18 and forced through the case air passage 16, through the negative ion emitter 24 for saturation by negative ions, said air finally being forced from the 4' case outlet opening 14 back into the surrounding atmosphere.

Although it is preferred that the negative ion emitter 24 will be of the improved construction of the present invention, certain of the advantages of the present invention will be obtained using a negative ion emitter of the prior conventional forms provided said negative ion emitter has the usual ground thereof removed, with the sole ground therefor being through the airstream passing through the case air passage 16.

For instance, using prior ion generator devices wit the convetional grounding of the negative ion emitter thereof, the negative ion emission from said negative ion emitters is in the order of 200,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter. Removing the ground of such conventional negative ion emitters and depending on the ground merely through the airstream passing by or through such emitters, the negative ion emission will be increased to multiples of 1 billion negative ions per cubic centimeter. Using a nongrounded negative ion emitter in the configuration of ion generator device as hereinbefore described, with a direct current, negative electrical supply of 6,000 volts and less than 20 milliamperes to said emitter, it has been possible to obtain a negative ion output in excess of 35 billion negative ions per cubic centimeter.

As stated, for maximum increase in negative ion emission it is preferred to use the negative ion emitter 24 according to certain of the principles of the present invention and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or alternate forms of such emitter as will be hereinafter described. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the negative ion emitter 24 includes a U-shaped cross section, peripheral frame 38 supporting a mass of electrically conducting, metal wool 40. The frame 38 is supported within the case 10 extending across the case air passage 16 and with the metal wool 40 open at the opposite sides for permitting the passage of the airstream through said metal wool during the travel of said airstream between the case inlet and outlet openings 12 and 14.

The metal wool 40 may be a medium grade, stainless steel metal wool for corrosion resistance, but many other forms of electrically conducting metal wool may be used. It is important, however, that the various loops of said metal wool will be severed so as to form a multiplicity of free metal ends or projections 42, thereby providing a multiplicity of negative ion emitting surfaces on the overall mass of the metal wool 40.

The lead 30 from the secondary side 32 of the transformer 26, that is, from the diode 34, is merely connected at one or more locations to the mass of metal wool 40 and in view of the curling, looping consistency of the metal wool, said entire metal wool mass is electrically interconnected and electrically interconnects each of the metal ends or projections 42, including the multiplicity of surfaces thereof.

Thus, with the negative ion emitter 24 of the present invention, a multiplicity of negative ion emitting metal ends 42, including the surfaces thereof, are provided for transmitting a maximum number of negative ions into the airstream passing therethrough as a result of the fan 18 forcing said airstream through the air passage 16. Such negative ions are transferred to the airstream and carried from the case 10 through the outlet opening 14 so as to be distributed into the surrounding atmosphere.

An alternate form of negative ion emitter for use in the same ion generator device hereinbefore described is illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown, a negative ion emitter 44 again includes a similar peripheral frame 46 similarly positioned within the case 10. The frame 46 supports a series of spaced, parallel conductors 48, which may be formed by any usual electrically conducting wire, such as a nickel chrome steel wire in the order of .050" thickness. Each of the conductors 48 is provided with a multiplicity of metal whiskers 50 projecting therefrom which may be formed of a nickel alloy wire in the order of .003" thickness.

All of the conductors 48 are electrically interconnected so as to electrically interconnect all of the whiskers 50, said conductors being in turn connected to the source of electrical energy, as hereinbefore described. As a result, therefore, the metal whiskers 50 provide the previously discussed multiplicity of negative ion emitting projections for transmitting negative ions into the airstream passing through the negative ion emitter 44.

Still another form of negative ion emitter is shown in FIG. 4 wherein the negative ion emitter 52 includes a supporting ring 64 positioned within the case and supporting a series of spaced conductors 56, each conductor having a multiplicity of metal whiskers 58 projecting inwardly of the ring 54. The conductors 56 may be formed merely by wrapping electrically conducting wire around the ring 54 at the spaced locations shown and having a multiplicity of severed bare ends projecting inwardly to form the whiskers 58. All of the conductors 56 and, therefore, the whiskers 58 are electrically interconnected and, in turn, connected to the source of negative electricity so as to again provide a multiplicity of negative ion emitting projections and surfaces for transmitting negative ions into the airstrearn passing through the air passage 16 of the case 10, transmitting said negative ions into the surrounding atmosphere in the manner hereinbefore described.

Obviously, the supporting ring 54 of the negative ion emitter 52 may be axially elongated to increase the number of whiskers 58 and thereby increase the number of negative ion emitting projections and surfaces. Similar obvious alterations can be made to the negative ion emitter 24 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the negative ion emitter 44 of FIG. 3 where desirable and for the same purposes.

Thus, according to the principles of the present invention, a negative ion generator device is provided which very greatly increases negative ion emission over anything heretobefore possible. Furthermore, such negative ion emission and distribution into surrounding atmosphere is at a sufiicient level to overcome any positive ion condition of the atmosphere caused by changing atmospheric conditions, as hereinbefore discussed.

In addition to the foregoing advantages of the negative ion generator device of the present invention, it has been found in use of the device that certain additional advantages have been provided. In the use of the embodiments of the negative ion emitter 24 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the metal wool 40 or the spaced conductors 48 with the whiskers 50 serve as air filters in the conventional form when air is forced therethrough by the fan 18. Additionally, however, it has also been found that a greatly in'- creased amount of dust and other foreign particles in the air is collected by these negative ion emitters, that is, a greatly increased amount over that which would normally be collected merely by the forcing of the room air through similar structures which were not negatively charged.

It is believed that the reason for this phenomenon is the fact that most dust particles and other free materials in air are known to be positively charged. Thus, when these positively charged particles are forced through the negatively charged emitters, such particles are attracted to the emission surfaces. As a result, therefore, not only is the air being forced through the negative ion generator device of the present invention being saturated with an emission of negative ions, but is also being cleaned of dust and other foreign particles to an extent not heretofore possible with the ordinary filtering materials.

We claim:

1. In a negative ion generator, the combination of: a negative ion emitter including a ring, spaced conductors secured on said ring, a multiplicity of wire whiskers projecting from each of said conductors inwardly of said ring; means producing an air flow stream through said ion emitter ring and around said conductor wire whiskers for receiving negative ions from said ion emitter and conveying the same away from said ion emitter; electrical supply means for providing a direct current negative elec trical flow; negative electrical conductor means operably connected between said electrical supply means and said negative ion emitter for transmitting said negative electrical flow from said electrical supply means to said negative ion emitter conductor wire whiskers; and said negative ion emitter being free of any ground electrical connection other than through said air flow stream.

2. In a negative ion generator, the combination of: electrical supply means for providing a direct current electrical flow of negative electricity; a negative ion emitter including a ring having a multiplicity of electrically conducting wire-like projections electrically interconnected, said wire-like projections being formed by spaced conductors on said ring with each conductor having a multiplicity of wire whiskers projecting inwardly of said ring, each of said whiskers having an open end, said whisker ends being spaced apart and providing a multiplicity of negative ion discharging surfaces; and electrical conductor means operably connected between said electrical supply means and said negative ion emitter conductors for supplying said flow of negative electricity to said whiskers and the discharge of negative ions therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,229 8/1938 McRae 315111 X 2,579,441 12/1951 Palmer 55-131 3,320,151 5/1967 Tepe et al. 204313 RAYMOND F. HOSSFELD, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

